An Update AT LAST!!

Ok, Ok I know it's been awhile since I updated the blog. Please forgive me!!
We went to Utah for Christmas where our camera decided to stop working and Jon's camera had stopped working a few weeks early. When we got back we took them both to the shop where they of course told us it would be just as much to fix them as it would be to buy a new one.... so I got them back finally and got all the pictures. But we have to go buy a new camera now.... with all that fun Christmas money we got that we had set on spending on other fun things of course. So now I am taking the time to update you from Thanksgiving to Christmas!!
We went to Utah as I said above for Christmas and we got family pictures taken. So this is my family!!
We took them at my mom's house.

For Christmas I knitted all of the little girls sweaters. It took me forever and I was even finishing one on the plane ride down but I got them done for Christmas and they turned out so cute. For Katie's girls I made them a sweater called a 'wallaby' and they have little pouches and hoods.. this is Lilly in her's.

And Bella in her's! Hailey's wasn't quite done so I don't have a picture of that one but it is matching the other two.

Then I made Chloe's a little different - she is my brother's little girl. Here is Chloe, Tim and Casey.

Here is my sister's little family!

Then we got some of just the three siblings!

After taking family pictures we had our "Santa Party" up at my mom's. Chloe likes to hide in the cupboard and screams when you find her.

Here comes Santa Clause!

I was Santa's little helper!

The kids are so fun to watch with Santa. Hailey just stared at him... it was adorable.

The girls got little purses from Santa that look like dogs. Bella thinks the one she got looks like Gauge.

That night we had a family party and made Homemade Candy Canes. We have such a good time laughing and yelling. We are by no means pro's at this yet but we get better every year and learn something new. Katie and I are good at making them together. We make a good team. My aunt Connee is the candy maker though so she keeps us from burning the candy.

Root beer is everyone's favorite flavor.

We finally got a really awesome and heavy duty hook to pull the candy on.... it made it a lot easier and nicer.

Jon is such a trooper. I made him go to the Nutcraker with my whole family. We use to go as kids every year and I loved it. Jon said because it was tradition he would go with me. He let's me have my fun for the afternoon and then can make fun of the guys in tights in the evening.

Christmas morning... waiting to go downstairs to see what Santa brought us!

Our stockings!! We had a big day ahead of us so we just opened a few presents and then started the list of places to go.

We went to Tim and Casey's Christmas morning to have breakfast. Jon became the "fix it" guy and put together all of Chloe's presents. Chloe got a tool set and thought she would help Uncle Jon too. How cute are they!!

Here is Chloe taking her dolly around.

Our next stop on Christmas was Katie's house. Here is Hailey trying on a hat that I knitted.

Lilly got a bead kit for Christmas and she was so excited to make Uncle Jon a necklace.

Next stop on Christmas was to stop by my dad's house. This is where one of Gauge's son's lives, his name is Bogart. He looks a lot like Gauge ~ he was fun to see.

He likes to snuggle just like Gauge.

Fourth stop on Christmas was to go to Gramsy's house with all the cousins!!

Then..... and finally we make it back to Nana's house to open presents with the family. Mom got all the Harry Potter's on cd!

I knitted hats for Casey and Tim!!

Nana gave the girls dress ups and this is Hailey in them!

The girls love to play with Uncle Jon and will make him take them around on his back and swing them around. He is their jungle gym. They even got in a pillow fight!

Two days after Christmas is Wally's birthday. We surprised him and all went to lunch together. Here is Tim and Jon!

Eating at Alicia's!!

We even got a cake... the girls like to help blow the candles out. After this picture my flash stopped working... so there is the end of our vacation!!!

GO SEAHAWKS!!

So Jon went on a "Man Trip" and went with Trevor to Portland.
Where Johnny took them all to a Trailblazers game....where they were nine rows back behind the Miami Heat bench!! Then they decided to make a weekend of it and drove to Seattle for a Seahawks game. Where they sat in the FRONT ROW and saw the Seahawks win!!
This is a picture from the top of the stadium looking down on the field.The boys at the top!!!

Here they are in their seats....ignore the crazy lady on the side she was a little drunk...hee hee!!

Oh yes! They really are that close. This is Johnny and Trevor!

Trevor and Jon! You might ask yourself where is Michelle.... the good wife that likes football and basketball and doesn't have any kids so she can travel with such ease.... but I forgot to tell you that she was left home.... yes it's true Michelle missed out on the fun sport trip. I am sure though she has a plan in the making on how Jon will repay her later!

The kick off!!

TOUCH DOWN celebration!

Ok so they might have been on the front row behind the Arizona but still front row!
Jon said that stadium is SO LOUD..he called me while they were just screaming and I couldn't believe the noise!!

December fun!!

We went to the "NORTH POLE" right here in Spokane!
We took a little cruise out of Couer D'Alene to see the lights on the water. It was fun!!
We went with Trevor and Holly

Here is the BIG Christmas tree on the water.

And lots of fun lights!!

Even Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause were there at the end. They were out on the water in a boat house!! It was kinda cute!

We took the family and went and found a tree at the tree farm here by our house. This is the one we got!!

This is Jon so excited!!

And the puppies are excited too... they love to smash the tree to the window in our living room and then help spread all the needles around the house!!

Thanksgiving 2007

TURKEY BOWL
It was "oh so cold" on Thanksgiving!! These boys are crazy to be playin' football in it. However I am maybe crazier for standing around watching them!!

Since we were staying in Spokane for Thanksgiving I made my own cranberry sauce. First attempt and it turned out pretty darn good.

Jon's family doesn't like pumpkin pie so I made myself one all from scratch...ok the crust wasn't but the filling is....doesn't that count for something!